November 14th, 2026 7:00pm
Big Rapids, Mich. - The nation's top-ranked Ferris State University Bulldogs made NCAA Division II history on Saturday (Nov. 14), beating Roosevelt in decisive fashion 63-20 in the regular-season finale at Top Taggart Field.
The Bulldogs' victory was the program's 41st-straight win going back to 2024, surpassing the all-time NCAA D2 mark for consecutive victories previously set from 2005-07 by rival Grand Valley State. FSU had tied the mark last week on the road at Wayne State.
Along with making NCAA history, the Bulldogs also claimed the outright Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship and capped off the program's seventh unbeaten regular season under head coach Tony Annese's direction with a perfect 11-0 mark. It was also Senior Day as the Bulldogs honored 20 seniors prior to the tilt.
"I'm so proud of our players and coaches for all the work they have put in to make this happen," said Annese. "This takes a commitment from everyone associated with our program and Bulldog Athletics. It's awesome to see the joy on their faces in a moment like this and the support we've received has been outstanding from everyone."
Ferris State scored the first 42 points and ran for 425 yards along with seven rushing touchdowns on 50 carries, with a 59-yard run as its longest gain. The defense intercepted four passes, recorded two sacks and held the Lakers to 226 yards of total offense.
FSU scored three first-quarter touchdowns and led 21-0 after the period, finishing with 66 rushing yards and a 2-for-2 passing line for 59 yards and two touchdown passes. The defense produced 14 points off turnovers in the frame with interceptions by Alex Springs and Nick Flegler, added a sack and held RU to 17 passing yards while also stopping a fourth-down try at the Ferris State 27-yard line.
Defensive end Jack Lamancusa helped halt the Lakers' opening drive with a tackle for loss and quarterback hurry, and Springs intercepted Carl Bew at 12:45 before returning it 29 yards to set up Taariik Brett's 23-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 Ferris State lead. RU moved the chains once on its next series, but Quentin Pope's sack was followed by Flegler's interception off Tony Chahino, and Chase Carter hit Tae Boyd for a 29-yard touchdown at 8:46 to make it 14-0. The Lakers put together an 11-play drive that reached the FSU 27, converting a third down and a fourth down along the way, before Zach Kelly broke up a fourth-down pass at 3:16 to force a turnover on downs. The Bulldogs then drove 73 yards from there, with Zak Ahern's 25-yard run moving the ball into RU territory before Carter found Brett for a 30-yard touchdown on the final play of the period, closing the first quarter at 21-0.
The Bulldogs produced 178 yards in the second quarter, including 132 rushing, and outscored the Lakers 14-0 on rushing touchdowns by Dakari Neely and Marcel Jones. RU finished with 32 yards, went 0-for-4 on third down and came away empty on its red-zone trip when Springs intercepted another pass, while Carter's 59-yard run highlighted FSU's late 90-yard scoring drive in the second period.
In the second quarter, FSU reached the Lakers' 12 on its first drive behind Carter's 42-yard completion to Tarick Bower, but the drive ended on downs before the defense forced an RU turnover on downs with Lucas Boman's fourth-down tackle for loss on a fake punt. Starting at the Lakers' 18, Ferris State overcame a false start and finished the short field when Neely ran in from seven yards at 6:30, with Cady's kick making it 28-0. RU got the ball back at the Ferris St. 12 after recovering a muffed punt, but the Bulldogs dropped Bew for a five-yard loss and Springs intercepted Chahino at the Ferris 10 with 2:20 to go. Ferris State turned that stop into a 90-yard scoring drive, highlighted by Ahern's early runs and Carter's 59-yard keeper to the Lakers' 4, before freshman Marcel Jones scored from two yards out and Jay Cady's kick pushed the lead to 35-0 late in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter, while the Lakers were held to 18 rushing yards and went 0-for-3 on third down and 0-for-1 on fourth down. RU still matched FSU 14-14 in the quarter with a 10-yard fumble return touchdown, while the Bulldogs also came away with a third Springs interception and a fourth-down stop at the FSU 1 before carrying a 49-14 lead into the fourth quarter.
Ferris State started the third quarter with a short field after RU's onside kickoff, and Ahern's 35-yard run helped set up Brett's five-yard touchdown run before Cady's kick made it 42-0. The Lakers put together a quick scoring drive with Chahino's 46-yard completion to Michael Prokos and Julius May's three-yard touchdown run, but Springs intercepted Chahino at the Ferris State 5 on the next Roosevelt possession. The Bulldogs turned that takeaway into a 95-yard drive, getting a 36-yard Carter completion to Brett and a 33-yard fourth-down touchdown run from Jones before Cady's kick made it 49-7. The Lakers later reached the Ferris State one-yard line after Jordan Brazil's interception return, but Jvonne Ruffin and Markee Jones helped stop Bew on fourth down; RU still scored late when Stacey Terry forced and returned a fumble 10 yards for a touchdown, leaving Ferris State ahead 49-14 at the end of the quarter.
In the final period, FSU leaned on the run, gaining 103 of its 106 yards on the ground and scoring on rushing touchdowns by Jake Price and Jones while going 1-for-1 on third down. The Lakers produced 73 of their 75 yards through the air and added a late touchdown, but Ferris State outscored RU 14-6 in the quarter to finish a 63-20 win.